Secondary battery.



No. 726,274. l l Y PATENTED APR.28,1903.

P. FIGUUGIA.

SECONDARY BATTERY.

APrLIoATIoN FILED HAY 22, 1902.

No MODEL. A '2 SHEETS-S3531' 2.

UNriniD .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PITRO FIGUCCIA, OB` BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LOUIS MELANOROSSI, OF BOSTON, lll-ASSACI'IUSETTS.

' SECONDARY BATTERY..

SPECIFICATION Yfox-:ning-l part of Letters Patent No. 726,274., datedApril 28, 1903,

Application filed May 22, 19Cl2. Serial No. 168,488. (No model.)

To all whom, it muy' concern,.-

'ject of the King of Italy, and' a resident of Boston, county ofSuffolk', State of Massachu- Betts, have invented an -Improvement inSecondary Batteries, 'of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, -is a specication, like letters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to secondary batterles, and more particularly tothe construction of the means for retaining the active material in pastyor other form-such, for instance, as lead oxid used as elect-redes insuch batteries.

One of the objects of my invention is to decrease the weight of thebattery while employing a maximum quantity of active material; andanother object of my invention is to support or dispose such activematerial in the most efficient manner.

The great objection to the use of secondary batteries for many purposesis due to the excessve weight thereof compared with the capacity, and'in my present invention I have .very greatly decreased the weight,while at the same time I have secured a most efficient disposition ofthe active material.

' The various novel features of my invention will be hereinafterdescribed, and particuj larly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of-a grid or frame embodying one form of myinvention, showing theactivo material supported thereby. Fig. 2i across-section thereof on the line :c x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a portion ofa, modified form of grid or frame,

to be descri d. Fig. et is a vertical section thereof ou the line :12'rv', Fig.3. Fig. 5 is an end View of one form of posit-ive element madeup of a. plurality of frames or grids, such as shown in Fig. l. A Fig.(3 is a similar View of the negative element. Fig. 7 is a side elevationof yet another modification of my invention, to be described. Fig. 8 isa transverse section thereof on the line 49.752, Fig. Figs. 9 and lO aredetails showing different ways in which the active materialV may besupported. Figs. l1, 12, and 13 are transverse sectional detailsshow-ing different crossen@- tional forms of supporting-bars forretaining the active material oi. the battery.

.ln carrying out my invention I make the frame or grid preferably oflead or an alloy in which lead forms .the principal element, and,referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the grid comprises topvand bottom bars cta", connected by a series of parallel juxtaposed bars-c2, the grid beingpreferably made as a casting. The bars a? are made as double-channelbars, the longitudinal channels 'as on each side of the connecting-weba* forming long channels orf-troughs on opposite faces of the frame, int-o which the active material A in pasty or pulverulent condition iscompressed or packed. As shown,'the webs a4 of the series of bars arelocated in the same plane, so that the element when. ready for usevpresents on its opposite faces aseries of elongated columns or masses ofact-i ve material separated from each other. l

In order to secure the requisite stiffness, combined with light weight,the top and hottorn members a a' of the frame maybe made substantiallylike4 the supporting-bars a2 in cross-section, with their channels onthe front. and back of the frame, and they may he illed with the activematerial, if desired. The channel. form adopted `gives great strengthand rigidity to the frame, combined with relatively light Weight, and atthe same time provides for the support of a very large proportion ofactive material in separated masses in order to secure the greatestefliciency.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 1L the frame or grid is made insnbstantaiy the manner described; but the webs cr of the supporting-barsare provided with holes c5,

in which plugs p, of peroxid of manganese, are inserted, extending intothe opposite channels, and the active material AX is packed in aroundthe plugs, the perotid acting to increase the amperage of the battery.

Referring to Fig. 5, a set of three of the grids or frames, as M M M2,are electrically connected by a union MX, provided with n. suitablebinding-screw Mii, and "i the pesitive elect-rode, the nega tive "shoe nin Fig. 6) having twc ce limes or grids 'N N' and a binding-s IOO action'in Lettersv Patentk No. 726,274.`

Referring to Figs. `'7 and 8, the grid is shown as composed of a seriesof double-channel bars B B' B2; dsc., shovrn'asv open rectangles ofgradually-decreasing size and nested one within the other, each barhaving its web b in the same plane and with the ribs b'on opposite sidesto constitute the channels for holding the active material BX.

In casting the grid the rectangular channel members are connected atsuitable intervals by bridges b of the metal;A but it will be observedthat the masses of active material at opposite facesof the frame aremaintained separated from each other, as before.

Referring to Fig. 9, the supporting-bar O .is made of-the double-channeltype; but it is bent or waved to present aseries'o'f parallel portionsconnected by the bends, the active material CX being held in theserpentine channels onthe opposite faces of themember C.

` In Fig. 10 the supporting-bar is made in the shape of a spiral, theactive material D being supported on both inner and outer faces of thespiral double-channeled member D. Manifestly the channeling of thesupporting members for the active material may be made ofdifferent-cross-section, and in Figs. 11,'12, and 13 I have shown some of such forms.

In Figs. 11 and 12 the membersF each present four channels, one on eachof the outer faces of the grid and opposite channels facing adjacentchannels of the next successive bars F, so that each bar Vis capable ofsupporting four column-like -masses FX of active material, it beingunderstood that the bars willA be arranged in parallelism toform a gridor frame substantially such as shown in Eig. 1. A diierent cross-sectionis shown in Fig. 13, wherein the bars H presentthree radial ribs 7L toconstitute a like number of V-shaped channels for the active materialHX.

The shapes and proportions of the channels ofthe supporting-bars may bevaried in many diierent Ways; but the active or electrode material willin all cases be supported in se [SEAL] arated column-like masses, eachbar of the grid or frame sustaining a plurality of such masses separatedfrom each other by the ma teral of the bar.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a secondary battery, a grid or frame comprising a series ofjuxtaposed and laterally-separated bars 'each having a channel in itsopposite,v.outer faces, and masses of active material retained in thechannels of the'bars, the spaces between the latterbeing left oper. andunobstructed.

2. In a. secondaryy battery,V a lead grid or frame comprising head andfoot members and a series of laterally-separated, channeled sup- 'portsfor the active material, and connected 4. In a secondary battery-,'a.leaden support for the active material, having'an elongated perforated'web and parallel, oppositely-extended anges thereon to presenttrough-like channels on opposite sides 'of said support, theperforations in the web connecting opposite channels.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 'name tov this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PIETRO -FIGUCCIA.

NVitnesses:

L. MELANO Rossi, CHAs. F. MILLER.

It is hereby certified Vthatjin Letters 'Patent No. 726,274, granted'April 2S. 1903, upon the application of Pietro Figuccia., of Boston,Massachusetts, for an improvement in Secondary Batteries, an A)errorappears'in thev printed specification requiring correction, as follows:Inline 72,' page 2., the word grip should read grid; .and that the saidLetters'Patent should be Vread -with this correction therein that thesame-may 'conform lto the record of the case in the Patent Office.;

signed 'and Sealed this 12th day @aM-ay, A. D., 1903.

F. I. ALLEN,

Commissione-r of Patents.

action 'in Lettersv Patentk No. 726,274.`

Referring to Figs. `'7 and 8, the grid is shown as composed of a seriesof double-channel bars B B' B2; dsc., shovrn'asv open rectangles ofgradually-decreasing size and nested one within the other, each barhaving its web b in the same plane and with the ribs b'on opposite sidesto constitute the channels for holding the active material BX.

In casting the grid the rectangular channel members are connected atsuitable intervals by bridges b of the metal;A but it will be observedthat the masses of active material at opposite facesof the frame aremaintained separated from each other, as before.

Referring to Fig. 9, the supporting-bar O .is made of-the double-channeltype; but it is bent or waved to present aseries'o'f parallel portionsconnected by the bends, the active material CX being held in theserpentine channels onthe opposite faces of themember C.

` In Fig. 10 the supporting-bar is made in the shape of a spiral, theactive material D being supported on both inner and outer faces of thespiral double-channeled member D. Manifestly the channeling of thesupporting members for the active material may be made ofdifferent-cross-section, and in Figs. 11,'12, and 13 I have shown some of such forms.

In Figs. 11 and 12 the membersF each present four channels, one on eachof the outer faces of the grid and opposite channels facing adjacentchannels of the next successive bars F, so that each bar Vis capable ofsupporting four column-like -masses FX of active material, it beingunderstood that the bars willA be arranged in parallelism toform a gridor frame substantially such as shown in Eig. 1. A diierent cross-sectionis shown in Fig. 13, wherein the bars H presentthree radial ribs 7L toconstitute a like number of V-shaped channels for the active materialHX.

The shapes and proportions of the channels ofthe supporting-bars may bevaried in many diierent Ways; but the active or electrode material willin all cases be supported in se [SEAL] arated column-like masses, eachbar of the grid or frame sustaining a plurality of such masses separatedfrom each other by the ma teral of the bar.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In a secondary battery, a grid or frame comprising a series ofjuxtaposed and laterally-separated bars 'each having a channel in itsopposite,v.outer faces, and masses of active material retained in thechannels of the'bars, the spaces between the latterbeing left oper. andunobstructed.

2. In a. secondaryy battery,V a lead grid or frame comprising head andfoot members and a series of laterally-separated, channeled sup- 'portsfor the active material, and connected 4. In a secondary battery-,'a.leaden support for the active material, having'an elongated perforated'web and parallel, oppositely-extended anges thereon to presenttrough-like channels on opposite sides 'of said support, theperforations in the web connecting opposite channels.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 'name tov this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PIETRO -FIGUCCIA.

NVitnesses:

L. MELANO Rossi, CHAs. F. MILLER.

It is hereby certified Vthatjin Letters 'Patent No. 726,274, granted'April 2S. 1903, upon the application of Pietro Figuccia., of Boston,Massachusetts, for an improvement in Secondary Batteries, an A)errorappears'in thev printed specification requiring correction, as follows:Inline 72,' page 2., the word grip should read grid; .and that the saidLetters'Patent should be Vread -with this correction therein that thesame-may 'conform lto the record of the case in the Patent Office.;

signed 'and Sealed this 12th day @aM-ay, A. D., 1903.

F. I. ALLEN,

Commissione-r of Patents.

action in Letters Patent No. 726,274

the said Letters Patent should be read with this corr the word grip726,274, granted April 2s isms,

assacliusetts, for an improvement an lerror appears in the printedspecification requin-i115r eorshould read grid; and lllut eetion thereinthat the same may conform Ito the record of the case in the PatentGffee.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, A. D., 1903.

[SEAL] F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Parmis.

